


I Felt the Earth Move

by systems



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [8]
Category: Free!
Genre: AU, Established Relationship, Improper hospital protocol (probably), M/M, Mortuaries, earthquake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 13:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4607931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/systems/pseuds/systems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of an earthquake, Makoto watches the news and waits to hear from Rin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Felt the Earth Move

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that’s pretty far out of my writing comfort zone. I’m posting it anyway because to go back and write something that fits my fluffy as fuck MO isn’t really in the spirit of these things, and it doesn’t really fit the prompt. Though I’ll admit I came up with a few other scenarios, some of which were downright silly. The obvious way to go was the Future Fish AU, but I’ve seen a lot of that lately, so this isn’t that AU. It’s AU - a few years after ES, probably after Rin and Makoto are both out of college and working.

"Our coverage of the bridge collapse on [highway] continues," the anchor says in a most professional tone. "Rescue teams have been forced to pull back after wreckage started to slide during the most recent aftershocks and the area was deemed unstable. They're hoping to get back in there soon, but we have no estimated timeframe for that." 

The camera pans over the area, far enough out to see the scale of the destruction. 

  


Rin still isn't picking up. 

  


Makoto calls Haru. 

"I can't get in touch with Rin."

Haru tries, but he can't calm Makoto down. He doesn't know any more than Makoto, and he knows better than to lie. 

  


And then, two hours of news coverage and unreturned phone calls later, he sees it. There's a close-up of a pile of cars, and there's the red coupe Rin drove to Tokyo. The windows are broken and the frame is crunched up on itself like rolled up aluminum foil. The passenger side door is missing, ripped off its hinges. The green jellyfish he'd bought in Sydney hangs from the rear view mirror, a garish bright spot where everything is dusty and torn. 

"Do we have any news of survivors, yet?" the anchor asks. 

The field reporter evades the question. Makoto turns away, feeling nauseous. 

  


The phone rings. It's not a number he knows. 

"Hello, is this Tachibana Makoto-san? This is Keio University Hospital in Tokyo. You're listed as the emergency contact for Matsuoka Rin, is that correct?"

"Yes," he tries to say, but the word sticks in his throat. "Yes," he says again, clearer. 

"I'm sorry to have to inform you, but Matsuoka-san was involved in an accident today."

"The bridge?"

"Yes," she says, after a moment's hesitation. "Are you able to get to the hospital?" 

The woman gives him information about where to enter and who to talk to when he arrives. It takes him two and a half miserable hours, by train and taxi. He avoids the emergency room, but the front of the building is just as crowded with people, and there are multiple news crews broadcasting from outside the hospital, though this can't be the only facility to be treating victims. 

  


"Tachibana-san, I'm sorry to have to ask this of you, but we need you to formally identify the body."

A chill runs through him as the implication hits, and for a moment Makoto forgets how to breathe. He can't imagine a life without Rin, is his first thought. He doesn't want to. But the hospital workers are waiting for him, so he presses his lips firmly together and nods. 

After the chaos outside, the mortuary is eerily quiet. Their footsteps echo down the hall. 

It's so unfair, Makoto thinks. He shouldn't have to do this. He shouldn't lose Rin like this; they should've grown old together, and spoiled Gou's kids, and the twins', when they got old enough for families of their own. He wonders how he'll tell Gou, or Haru, or anyone. 

There are several bodies, covered with sheets, on gurneys that are all lined up. 

"Is he here to identify a body?" 

The workers confer and lead Makoto to the third gurney in the line. The mortician pulls the sheet back, exposing Rin's face, neck, and collarbones. Except - it's not Rin. 

Makoto shakes his head vigorously. He barely manages to say, "Not him," before he feels faint enough to grasp the counter behind him for support. He's brought back to an office that smells of embalming fluid and disinfectant, and they ask him again. "No," he tells them. "I'm positive that's not Rin." 

The nurse hands him the personal effects, and sure enough, it's Rin's wallet, but. 

"This isn't his watch, and these aren't his keys." He hands them back. 

  


He crosses the lobby, keeping his head low. He just wants to go home. He's holding out hope that Rin will be there, since there is no other Matsuoka Rin on the hospital's register. Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding. He has Rin's I.D. in his pocket, but maybe Rin escaped Tokyo before the quake. 

"Oi, Makoto!"

He freezes. He'd know that voice anywhere.

"Rin?" He turns, spots red hair and a tired grin. "Rin!" 

Makoto sweeps Rin into his arms, pulling his lover to him with all the strength of his fears. 

"Ow, ow, careful. I've got cracked ribs," Rin says, pulling back. He's bruised across his forehead, and there's a bandage covering one cheek, but he's standing in front of him, and Makoto thinks that maybe he's never looked as good as he does right now. 

"I thought you were dead," Makoto says. It's the first time he's said it out loud since that phone call hours ago, and it feels like dislodging something that's been sticking through his heart all night. "They told me you were dead."

Rin pales, and Makoto knows immediately that he understands the weight he'd been carrying. "Oh, Mako, I'm so sorry. I lost my wallet this morning on the way to work; they didn't know my name until I woke up and told them. That must be why-"

"I have your wallet," Makoto interrupts. "It was on the body they wanted me to identify." 

"Oh, Makoto," Rin says again. He looks ready to cry. 

Makoto can't help himself, he pulls Rin into his arms again. "I'm so relieved. You have no idea." 

Rin's arms wrap around him, strong and sure, and he says, "Let's go home."

**Author's Note:**

> *The prompt was: "I thought you were dead." Makorin, Makoto says it. Yell at me about it here or on tumblr at systemsforfics.tumblr.com


End file.
